Mouse Extra

This article from the Orlando Sentinel managed to sneak under my radar, but I think it is too interesting to let it go unmentioned.  Writer Scott Powers credits Expedition Everest for a big turnstiles boost at Disney’s Animal Kingdom during 2006, and compares it to the struggles that Universal faces amid declining attendance figures.

Whatever Universal has up its sleeve, Expedition Everest will be a tough act to follow. The new ride, which opened in April 2006 and mixes a roller coaster with a story about a Yeti creature and a mountain, helped Animal Kingdom in two key ways, theme-park-industry observers said. It gave the park the “Next Big Thing” in Central Florida, and a ride that could please teenagers and young adults without scaring away their parents or younger siblings.

Yes, Expedition Everest is truly one of the great creations in Imagineering’s history.  It is just intense enough to keep it exciting, but tame enough to appeal to a much larger audience than an extreme ride.  Rather than comparing it to Rock n’ Rollercoaster or Tower of Terror, Everest is more in the same family with Space Mountain or Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.  It is loaded with story, and the theme is so wonderfully immersive it truly outpaces those that came before it.

The big question surrounding the enormous investment into Expedition Everest was whether or not it would pay off.  Many set the bar at whether the Animal Kingdom would become a night time destination as well, a subject we have discussed before.  But it is obvious now  that this is not the only bar.  An 8+% increase is an 8+% increase whether the people came at night or not, and Expedition Everest has apparently delivered the goods.

For those of you who are fans of Universal Studios, read the rest of Mr. Powers article, as he talks in great length about the investment the park needs to make to turn their attendance trends around.  It also speaks about smaller investments that Sea World and the Mouse have made this past year.